Mayor Wu’s comments about bike lanes mark a shift in tone, and that’s worth noting. In a recent interview with WGBH, she acknowledged what many of us have been saying for years—Boston’s approach has been piecemeal, relying on quick fixes instead of real planning. She even admitted that flex posts, which have defined many of the city’s bike lanes, are her “personal pet peeve.” “At some point, when a flex post has been there defining a bike lane for a year, three years… we have to decide, is it working or not?” she said. That’s a welcome realization, but the real question is: What comes next?

Wu says she wants permanent, concrete-separated bike lanes, but we’re not yet hearing the commitment to do it right. “Everything comes down to the specific corridor,” she said when asked about replacing temporary barriers with permanent protection. That’s concerning. The current rollout has been rushed and inconsistent, and without a clear master plan, we risk repeating the same mistakes. The city needs to halt its scattered approach and commit to a real planning process—with input from stakeholders—to ensure bike infrastructure is safe, effective, and permanent.

It’s encouraging to hear the mayor finally acknowledge the problem, but words aren’t enough. We need action. Until we see a firm commitment to thoughtful, well-designed infrastructure—rather than more temporary fixes—it’s hard to feel confident that real change is on the way.